Tape 4 of Silsilat al Huda wan Noor tape

Tape 4 of Silsilat al Huda wan Noor
Translated by Abu Musa Muhammad Sulieman

CONTENTS OF TAPE:

1.– Is it permissible to pray between pillars regarding the one who prays individually or in congregation? 

2.– Is it better for a woman to pray in her house or in the masjid which is near to her?

3.– Is it permissible for the one who comes late to the prayer to intentionally put a sutrah in front of him before he begins his prayer as a precaution so no one cuts off his prayer when he completes what remains of it? 

4.– Is it permissible for a woman to pray without socks or with a short dress?

5.– Is it permissible for a husband to sit with his friends in the company of his wife? And what are the conditions of that?

6.– A man who possesses wealth bought land with the intention of doing business with it, so must he pay zakat on it?

7.- The Sheikh clarifies the prohibition of smoking, and his advice to the Muslims to fear Allah and seek halal sustenance, and noting the main reason which led to the weakness of the Muslims and the greed of the Non-Muslims over them.

1. - Is it permissible to pray between the pillars regarding the one who prays individually or in congregation?

Questioner:  My teacher, what is the ruling on praying between the pillars without necessity?

Sheikh Al-Albani: (May Allah have mercy on him.): If he is praying individually then there is no sin on him, and if he is praying in congregation then this is something the Messenger of Allah has forbidden in his saying: ("Don’t form your rows between the pillars."). So it is forbidden and not permissible and...

Questioner: (cuts the sheikh off): and the prayer?

Sheikh Al-Albani: No, the prayer is correct, as for the necessities; the necessities make the prohibitions permissible.

Questioner: So the prayer is not nullified?

Sheikh Al-Albani:  No, it's not nullified.

2. - Is it better for a woman to pray in her house or in the masjid which is near to her?

Questioner:  Is a woman's prayer better in the house or in the masjid if the masjid is near to her house? (The remainder of the question is unclear).

Sheikh Al-Albani:  It is better that she prays in her house except if there is a class or a lecture in the masjid which she could benefit form, then ruling changes; it becomes better for her to pray in the masjid, but if there was only a prayer then her house is better –meaning – there is nothing in the masjid except the congregational prayer, then her prayer in this situation is better in her home than in the masjid, as opposed to if there was a class or lecture in the masjid then her prayer in the masjid is better for her.

3. - Is it permissible for the one who comes late to the prayer to intentionally put a sutrah in front of him before he begins his prayer as a precaution so none cuts off his prayer when he completes what remains of it?

Questioner:  Our teacher, if the congregational prayer has already begun and I reached in the final raka' (unit of prayer) and I purposely put in front of me one of the small tables which are used to hold the Quran, knowing that there are people beside me so that I can use this table as a sutrah when they finish their prayer; Is this permissible?

Sheikh Al-Albani: Meaning after you began your prayer?

Questioner: No, before I began the prayer I took the table and put it in front of me and I made the takbeer and I joined them in prayer.

Sheikh Al-Albani: There is nothing wrong with this, As long as you did it outside of your prayer.

Questioner: Yes.

Sheikh Al-Albani: There is nothing wrong with this.

Questioner: There is nothing wrong if I purposely bring something and put it?

Sheikh Al-Albani: As long as you are late to the prayer…

Questioner: Yes.

Sheikh Al-Albani: And you believe there must be a sutrah in front of you after you finish your prayer with the Imam, so you took the precaution and put the table in front of you, there is nothing wrong with this at all, rather it is a good action.

Questioner: May Allah reward you…

4. -Is it permissible for a woman to pray without socks or with a short garment?

Questioner: Our teacher, many women go to the masjid for prayer without socks, they perform their prayer without socks.

Sheikh Al-Albani: Whether they go or not (to the masjid) their prayer in their houses without socks is an invalid prayer.

Questioner: Even in the house?

Shaikh Al-Albani: Even in the house, so how about the masjid?

Questioner: May Allah reward you.

Shaikh Al-Albani: And you also.

Another Questioner: Even if she completely covers her feet?

Shaikh Al-Albani: How do you imagine that she covers her feet? In the present day there are no women who drag their garments (because of it being long), but if you can picture this case then the prayer is correct, and the issue is that her feet are uncovered, however if her feet are covered, for example: her dress is loose and long where it covers her feet, then this is what is wanted from the women when she prays in her home or in the masjid, but sadly today women don’t have long clothing.

Questioner: Ok, do the socks cover, O teacher?

Shaikh Al-Albani:  The socks cover and don't cover. They cover the color of the skin, but they don’t cover the shape of the foot, therefore from the conditions of the garment that covers the private parts for men – aside from women – is that it is not transparent where the color of the skin is visible, and it is not tight where it defines the body part. So the garment is not permissible unless it contains these two characteristics, it's not transparent and not tight.

Questioner:  Ok, do the socks define the body part?

Shaikh Al-Albani:  Absolutely, they define.

Questioner:  Ok, how do they cover in prayer?

Shaikh Al-Albani:  With time they cover; they cover and don't cover. And I explained to you in detail how they cover and don’t cover.

Questioner:  Meaning, the woman must wear socks in prayer?

Shaikh Al-Albani:  I said, and I am still saying – she must cover her feet with a loose and wide garment, as for the socks they cover and they don’t cover, my words are clear.

Questioner:  Is it better to wear socks?

Shaikh Al-Albani:  If her garment is long […] if her garment is long where it covers her feet whether she wears socks or not, what is meant is a covering that is not tight or transparent. Socks without a garment over them define the body part, but they cover the skin color and this is not enough, so it is necessary for the garment to cover the color and the shape.

Questioner:  Our teacher, in regards to nullification of the prayer, but they don’t have knowledge of these things.

Shaikh Al-Albani:  Yes, they don’t have knowledge but they can learn, so if they learn and remain lenient then their prayer is invalid.

5. -Is it permissible for a husband to sit with his friends in the company of his wife? And what are the conditions of that?

Questioner:  Sitting with friends in the company of one's wife, are there specific conditions we should comply with?

Shaikh Al-Albani:  Firstly, Islam does not approve of this kind of gathering because it’s a type of mixing. Secondly, if it is necessary the conditions – of course – are known, but observing them is difficult. So from the conditions is what we mentioned previously–:

1.      Each one should be covered with the proper Islamic veil, meaning; that she should not be wearing shiny and beautiful clothes which attract attention, as is the case with women in their homes. Also these garments should not be tight or short for example, where it defines the legs or thighs or similar to that. What's important is that their clothing contains the conditions of the veil which I mentioned in the introduction to my book: (The veil of the Muslim woman).

2.      Add to that – that the conversation in these sittings should contain in it modesty and good manners and dignity so as not to prompt any of those present from the men or women to smile or laugh or giggle. So if the conversation has these conditions and is found to be necessary, then the sitting is permissible, but I believe that fulfilling these conditions especially in our time is almost impossible. Sadly, most Muslims today don’t know the Islamic rulings (what is permissible) and (what is not permissible), and those from them who have knowledge of these rulings, very few of them follow and apply these rulings. So for that I don’t imagine a gathering between relatives which would contain all of these condition, this is something purely imaginary. And for that the matter is as the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said: (…"And between them are unclear matter which many people have no knowledge of, so whoever guards against the unclear matters he will protect his religion and his honor, verily every King has his prohibited land and verily, the prohibited land of Allah is that which he has forbidden. Verily whoever grazes his Flock around a Sanctuary, he will soon fall in it"). And from this hadith; some people of old times have taken a slang saying: (Distance yourself from evil and sing for it.) This is a slang proverb […] and the second saying: (The one who doesn’t want to see ruined dreams should not sleep between the graves). Like this.

6. - A man who possesses wealth bought land with the intention of doing business with it, so must he pay zakat on it?

Questioner:  A man who possesses wealth bought land with the intention of doing business with it, what is the ruling on the zakat upon it?

Sheikh Al-Albani:  There is no zakat on it.

Questioner:  Ok, what if the land remains one year or two years or three years or more or less?

Sheikh Al-Albani:  Let it remain as long as Allah wills, but if he sells it and collects its value and one year passes on it, at that time zakat is obligatory.

Questioner:  [unclear words].

Sheikh Al-Albani:  Because the wealth which zakat must be paid on has two conditions… [The tape cuts off here].

7. – The Sheikh clarifies the prohibition of smoking, and his advice to the Muslims to fear Allah and seek halal sustenance, and noting the main reason which led to the weakness of the Muslims and the greed of the non-Muslims over them.

Sheikh Al-Albani:  Smoking […] and harmful in this aspect and in the community relations. When you ride a bus or a train and you are someone whom Allah has saved from smoking, and you are afflicted with a person who smokes, he fills the bus and the room with this foul odor -the smoke- and he causes discomfort to the people around him while showing no concern for them. This foul habit has become such that if any of the people of knowledge speak about it in detail -and this may take half an hour or an hour sometimes- to establish proof after proof and evidence after evidence that smoking is forbidden you will hear people from the gathering who are indifferent say: O my brother, if smoking was forbidden we would burn it, and if it was permissible we would smoke it. You hear that a lot.

Those present: Yes Indeed!

Sheikh Al-Albani:  This saying portrays the current state of the Islamic world except those who Allah wills and few are they. Most of them don’t fear Allah in regards to acquiring their sustenance and livelihood even though the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said: ("O people, indeed one of you will not die until he completely acquires his sustenance and completes his term, so beautify your means"). Meaning: pursue the beautiful path and way, meaning: the permissible way in obtaining sustenance because none of you will die until he collects his sustenance, he will not leave behind a single cent as he will also fulfill his term […]. As Allah the Most High has said: {and if their term comes they will not be delayed an hour or forwarded}. The hour in the Ayah is not the hour that we know (24). No, the hour in the Ayah means a moment. Meaning: they will not be delayed a moment nor forwarded. With all of these commands from the Shari'ah and divine guarantees from Allah that mankind will collect his sustenance whether he wills or refuses, we still become so concerned with this sustenance to a degree that we don’t ask if it is a forbidden or permissible way. As for the purpose for which we were created, and that is to worship our Lord, we have made that purpose forgotten. So you find the Muslims like the non-Muslims working day and night for the sake of acquiring that which is guaranteed and they neglect the reason for which they were created and that is to worship Allah the Most High. And because of this many Muslims are ignorant of the true reason which made them fall into degradation and being dispersed and colonized by the non-Muslims especially the Jews who settled in our lands. They dont know the reason except that it is the decree of Allah. They say: "Allah has written this upon us". Also many of them show criticism and objection towards Allah and say: "Are the Jews better than us? Aren't we Muslims? How have the Jews settled in our place, in our land?" This is from their ignorance because Allah has in this world rules and laws and regulations, whoever abides by them will reach their objectives and whoever turns away from them will be delayed in regards to his religion and in the worldly life. It has been authentically narrated that the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said: ("The nations will gather and team up against you as the predators team up against their prey"). A questioner asked: Is it because we are few in numbers that day? The prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied: ("No, rather you will be great in numbers that day but you will be as powerless as the foam on the surface of the river and Allah will remove any fear from your enemies and he will put in your hearts a corruption") A questioner asked: O prophet of Allah what is the corruption? The prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied: ("The love of the worldly life and the fear of death").

A man from the gathering: Is this hadith implemented?

Sheikh Al-Albani: Yes.

The man: Is it implemented these days?

Sheikh Al-Albani: Yes, it has already been implemented, and this reassures for you the second hadith where the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said: ("When you take part in 'eenah, (unlawful transactions such as usury), and take hold of the tails of cows, and become satisfied with cultivation, and abandon jihad in the path of Allah…) [The tape cuts off here]. We see that the Jews have settled in our land, what more disgrace do the Muslims want than to be degraded by the most degrading of people who were covered with humiliation and misery and drew upon themselves the wrath of Allah? Then these people come and humiliate us Muslims! Have we been humiliated by the most degrading of people because we have honor? - As Allah the Mighty has said in the Quran: {And honor, power and glory belong to Allah and to his messenger and to the believers}. No, the promise of Allah is not delayed. {And honor, power and glory belong to Allah and to his messenger and to the believers}. But who are these believers?? They are the ones who fear Allah the Most High and follow his legislations. Our problem today is that we have turned away from the main reason for which we were created and that is to worship Allah the Most High. Many people don’t even worship Allah and the few that do worship Allah don’t know how to worship Him. Allah has bestowed upon us a preserved Quran where he has said: {Verily it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (the Quran) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)}. From the things which we have forgotten that are written in the preserved Quran is His saying: {And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way out for him (from every difficulty), And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine}. This Ayah has become as if it has been abrogated from the Quran, isn’t it written in the Quran and the people read it day and night? However what is the benefit of the Quran that is recorded on pages and used to decorate the walls? As for the hearts they lie in ruins! Has the Quran been revealed to decorate our homes and to be recited over our dead and we distance it from awakening us? No, Allah the Most High has said: {That it (the Quran) may give warning to him who is living (a healthy minded believer) and that word may be justified against the disbelievers}. So the Quran has been revealed for the living and not for the dead, and it has been revealed for the living to act upon it, not to decorate their homes and their walls. So this is an ayah which has come in the Quran, but many Muslims -especially those whom Allah has given wealth- are concerned with protecting it and they fear losing it or that it might be stolen from them, and they are the ones who have forgotten the saying of Allah: {And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way out for him (from every difficulty), And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine}. This ayah gives two very important points to those who fear Allah: the first point; if the person falls into difficulty Allah will make a way out for him, and if his sustenance becomes constricted Allah will provide for him from sources he could never imagine. Today if we fall into difficulties maybe some of us will disbelieve in Allah and we will not return to Him nor will we supplicate to Him nor will we invoke Him with that which He loves and is pleased with.

Similar to this is what happened to those before us whom the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has told us about, A story which happened to some people before the sending of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) informed us of the story so that we may take a lesson from it and not forget it like the previous ayah: {And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way out for him (from every difficulty)}. The prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said about them: ("While three people from those who were before you were walking they were overcome by rain, so they took shelter in a cave in a mountain and suddenly a boulder fell from the mountain in front of the cave entrance and trapped them…" they were faced with a problem and they were afraid the heavy rains will become floods and they will be carried away by the floods so they took shelter in the mountain for protection. Suddenly from the top of the mountain came a large boulder which could not be moved even by today's modern machinery. Allah placed it at the entrance of the cave they were in and they were three individuals. "One of them said: "Look to your righteous deeds which you have done and intended with it the pleasure of Allah and use it as a means of nearness to Allah, and maybe Allah will move this boulder from the cave entrance- so one of them got up and said: "O Allah you are aware that I had two elder parents and a wife and small children for whose sake I used to work as a shepherd. When I would return to them I would milk the sheep and start providing for my parents before my children, and one day I went far away in search of a grazing place for my sheep and I didn’t return home until late in the evening. I milked the sheep as usual and I brought the milk to my parents and I found them sleeping. I disliked waking them from their sleep and I disliked giving the milk to my children before my parents even though the children were crying from hunger at my feet." What is this man saying? He is saying that he had two parents and a wife and children. Every day early in the morning he would take the sheep and go in search of what? Pasture and plants so that the sheep could graze. It seems he crossed a great distance because he could not find a pasture and when he returned home it was late in the evening. As his usual practice, which shows his obedience towards his parents, he would take the vessel which he used for milking and fill it with milk and he would begin giving his parents before his family. So the first thing he did when he returned home in the evening was milk the sheep and when he entered into his parents he found them sleeping. So what did this man do? He had a custom, he starts providing for his parents before his wife and children, and now he has a problem, his mother and father are asleep and his children are crying from hunger. So he said "I stood at their heads disliking to wake them from their sleep and disliking to give my children before them, and the children were crying from hunger at my feet, I remained this way until the day dawned…").